The LPGA has one of the most challenging years of its History, lots of changes, which will impact in several ways the most competitive women’s tour. The arrival of rookies, the departure of sponsors and the need to stay in the audience’s likes, are just some of the various aspects that should be considered for 2009.

Rookies
This year’s class is one of the most expected and promising, mainly because these players’ qualities, both in and outside the ropes, set them as serious contenders for one of the 31 events in the schedule. Compared to other seasons, some of these golfers, who aspire to win the Rookie of the Year award, have lots of experience; many of them were great College players or have been professionals since quite a bit. Most of them are Asiatic, which will increase the number of the most dominant group on tour. 2009 brings 21 rookies, 14 obtained their card after going through Q-School, while six more earned their status thanks to their performance at the Duramed Futures Tour. There’s a particular case, Ji-Yai Shin will also be part of this year’s rookie class since she won three LPGA events, without being a member of the tour.  From all these young talented players, there are three, which will be on the limelight:

• Michelle Wie: the teen phenomenon had some tough moments, add this to her new College responsibilities and the results, at least golf-wise, aren’t great. Nevertheless, she decided to spend a bit more time around women’s golf, rather than with the guys. Eve when lots of people believe she doesn’t have as much chance as others to take the ROY award, she will be a factor during the season.

• Stacy Lewis: from the University of Arkansas, she drew the media attention at the 2007 Kraft Nabisco Championship, where she got a T5. In 2008, Lewis won the Q-School with a three-stroke advantage, and was second at the US Women’s Open. The 19 year old has been battling with scoliosis since she was a kid.

• Ji-Yai Shin: the toughest South Korean of the pack, the reason is pretty simple: she’s been successful on the LPGA. Shin won three of the most demanding events of last year’s schedule: Women’s British Open, Mizuno Classic, ADT Championship. There’s more, she has lots of experience as a professional golfer, she decided to participate at the KLPGA in 2005 and has dominated that tour for three years. From her debut to her last season as a member of the KLPGA she broke all the established records.

There’s no doubt that this year’s rookies will bring lots of surprises, so follow the close, ‘cause any of them might become a Rolex First-Time Winner.

Lorena Ochoa
After a lousy season ending, the Mexican is working out at Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, as part of her off-season. After working on the mental and physical side of her game, Ochoa will go back to the Guadalajara Country Club along with long life coach, Rafael Alarcón, to make some adjustments to her game.

Even when Mexican media, such as TV and radio, have been aggressive with their reports and in many ways have punished Ochoa’s performance, it’s valid to say that her season wasn’t bad at all, she just had some difficulties and it wasn’t, by any means, the way world’s number one should had closed her year. After an impressive streak –five wins, at her first six starts-, many thought she could win around 10 times, but lets be honest, she does have a great level, she does have a spectacular game, but there are some areas in which she just need to mature, in 2009 she has three main challenges:

1. Take full control of her emotions and mental side of the game, especially in Mexico.
2. Maintain the pace she has settled and not falling apart.
3. Win the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, ‘cause it’s literally her tournament.

Schedule
The world crisis has had huge effects, there’s been unemployment, many companies have been loosing tons of money and the LPGA hasn’t been exempt. In 2008 the season had 36 events, one year later the tour will have to settle down with 31 tournaments plus the Solheim Cup. This is the best example on how economics has impacted the LPGA and how much of an effort the directors and executives will have to make to keep the tour on track. Otherwise, the sponsors will continue to leave and the ratings will drop even more. ESPN and The Golf Channel transmit some of the tournaments and they give priority to the PGA, this situation translates into a prerecorded broadcast.

It’s a key year for women’s golf, because there’s lots of uncertainty and fewer sponsors, which applies pressure to one of the least popular tours if compared with the PGA… Will Comissioner Bivens be able to pull a rabbit from her hat, in order to keep the tour as a business?